


Fire in the Belly

by FlavorofKylo



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Restaurant, Chef Kylo, Cocky Kylo Ren, Complete, Dirty Talk, Dominant Kylo Ren, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Food Porn, Hand & Finger Kink, If you can't stand the heat...., Knifeplay, Kylo Ren is a cocky bastard, Light Dom/sub, Maybe Rey can set him straight, Mildly Dubious Consent, Oral Sex, Praise Kink, Rough Sex, Semi-Public Sex, Spreader Bars, Vaginal Fingering, Voice Kink, Yes--there WILL be smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:21:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25981273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlavorofKylo/pseuds/FlavorofKylo
Summary: Kylo Ren is the chef at one of the hottest restaurants in the city, with a temperament as hot as his kitchen.  Rey is a food critic at Food of Love, a culinary magazine run by Leia Organa Solo.  Kylo doesn't like complaints or food critics.But somehow, this one is different.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 122
Kudos: 401
Collections: Ijustfellintothissendhelp





	1. Amuse Bouche

**Author's Note:**

> Sincere thanks to BenThereDoneThat for all her amazing help as Alpha reader on the first three chapters.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo Ren is the executive chef and co-owner of Red Kyber, one of the hottest restaurants in the city. He's known for having a tongue as sharp as his knives. 
> 
> Rey is a young food writer who recently joined the staff of Food of Love magazine, owned by Leia Organa. Despite her lack of experience, she's determined to prove herself in the field. But she's not prepared for the dangerous allure of Chef Ren.

Leia sat at the conference room table, regal in her cashmere sweater dress and burgundy scarf. Despite her short stature, she had a commanding presence, hard won from her years of successfully running _Food of Love_ magazine. She and her crew were just about to wrap up their weekly meeting in the conference room. She faced her newest protégé, a young writer who came highly recommended by her professors. Rey had graduated from the University of Corelia with a degree in Journalism. It was her first serious job as a writer, and she had been there for all of four months.

  
“Rey, I’m so excited to have you on board. I really am. You’ve done so well for us already. So, I’m going to ask you to do this next review for us because I _know_ you can handle it.”

“Okay….?” Rey frowned slightly at the vaguely ominous tone of Leia’s words.

“I’m going to ask you to review Red Kyber,” she said.

  
Rey shook herself. Red Kyber was one of the hottest restaurants in the city, celebrity central--known for its decadent food and its smart, ultra-modern layout. She had been wanting to go there herself for months, but it was almost impossible to get a reservation, not to mention just a bit pricey for her. But then, that was one of the great things about being a food writer: 

“Sure. Great! Is there a catch?”

  
Leia smiled ruefully. “Well, yes and no. This is like going anywhere else, really. I mean, don’t get me wrong, the food is _phenomenal_ …..”

Rey quirked an eyebrow, waiting for the “but.”

  
“…and you shouldn’t be intimidated about writing it. But I will tell you, the chef can be a bit, shall we say… troublesome. Well, to be honest, he's a pain in the ass." 

  
Finn nodded. “Yeah. I’ve heard he’s a got a serious attitude problem. He’s been known to confront diners directly. And make them cry.”

  
"He _hates_ critics,” Amilyn sighed. “I had a run in with him myself last year.”

  
_“What?”_ Rey’s eyes were huge. She was getting the feeling that this assignment was being given to her because no one else wanted to do it.

  
Leia nodded knowingly. “He doesn’t like complaints. Giant ego, and huge chip on his shoulder. I mean, we all know how chefs can be, but Kylo takes the cake....pun intended."

Rey laughed softly. 

"But like I said, you shouldn’t be intimidated.” She glanced at Amilyn. "You probably won't even know he's there."

  
Rey nodded. This was sounding less fun than it did at first, but this was her job, and she was determined to prove she could handle it.

  
“Of course,” she said. “I got it.”

  
“I’m sending Finn with you, but _you’re_ writing it. Tomorrow night, reservation is for seven-thirty.”

Rey was stunned. How could Leia have gotten a table that easily? But then, Rey remembered who she was. 

“Aye aye, captain.” 

When the meeting broke a short time later, Rey looked over at Finn. “Why do I have a _bad feeling_ about this?”

  
Finn put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “It’ll be fine. I got your back. But there is one other thing you should know….”

  
“Tell me.”

  
Finn paused. “The chef is Leia’s son.”

____________________________________________________

It was a typical Thursday evening at Red Kyber, and dinner service was ramping up; every table was booked. As per usual, the kitchen was humming along like a well-oiled machine. Kylo stood in the center of the room, resplendent in his pristine chef’s whites, silky black hair pulled back from his face. His handsome brow was furrowed in concentration, his six-foot-three-inch body bent at the waist as he filleted a salmon. He wielded the knife with expert dexterity like a brilliant artist with his paintbrush. This was his domain: it was _his_ kitchen and he was king; God help any underlings who failed to perform their duties as demanded.

  
Kylo glanced over to the stove where Poe was busily stirring a small pot.

  
“Poe, didn’t I put you on garnish?”

  
Poe looked up. “Yes, but I was just—"

  
“Not ‘yes, but’—it’s 'yes, chef’,” he snapped. “Is that clear? Vic’s the saucier.”

  
Poe sighed. “Yes, chef.”

  
Kylo eyed him warily as he returned to the garnish station, nearly smashing into Vic, who was rushing back to the stove.

  
“And where did _you_ go?” Kylo drawled.

  
“Bathroom, chef,” Vic muttered.

  
Kylo quirked an eyebrow at him but said nothing.

  
“Chef?” A tentative female voice called from the doorway; it was Kaydel, the hostess, and she looked utterly terrified.

  
Kylo’s eyes swung to her, eyebrows raised. “Hmmm?”

  
“Mr. Hux wanted me to tell you that there’s a critic here.”

He straightened his back, glaring at her. “ _What_ critic?”

  
“I-I don’t know their names,” she stuttered, “but they’re from _Food of Love._ ”

  
Kylo froze, his jaw tight. _“They?”_

  
“Yes….uh, there’s two of them.”

  
Kylo frowned, his grip on the knife tightening. “What table?”

  
“Seven.”

  
He nodded. Kaydel stood there another moment, wringing her hands, waiting to be dismissed. “

That’ll be all,” he said.

  
Kaydel turned on her heel, releasing an audible sigh of relief.

  
“Did everyone hear? Table seven,” he boomed to the staff.

  
The entire crew responded at once: “Yes, chef.”

  
Curious, he set his knife down and drifted over to the pass. He glanced through, scanning the room quickly for table seven. There were indeed two people there: a man and a woman, both young. He didn’t recognize either one, so he guessed both were relatively new. They were both dressed nicely and it looked like they were on a date. Why would his mother be sending two critics at the same time? His attention lingered on the young woman. At this distance, he could see she was a pretty brunette, very young, her hair pulled back into a neatly coiled bun—probably, he guessed, an attempt to look older. So his mother was sending children to his restaurant to do reviews. He rolled his eyes and returned to the salmon.

  
“Let me know when that ticket comes in,” he muttered.

  
“Yes, chef.”

  
____________________________________________________

“Finn, this menu is incredible,” Rey breathed. “Everything looks so good. What should we get?”

  
“I don’t know about you, peanut, but I’m going for the New York Strip. I haven’t had a good steak in quite awhile.

  
Rey crinkled her nose. “Really, steak? In a place like this? I mean, it’s steak, it’s not exactly hard to make.”

  
“Hey, listen. _You’re_ reviewing. I can get whatever I want.”

  
“Yeah, okay. _Do you_ , boo,” she laughed. “I think I’ll go with the salmon. And maybe some oysters to start, or maybe the soup.”

  
“Oysters, huh?” Finn smirked. “You know what happens when you eat oysters, don’t you?”

  
Rey chuckled. “Finn,” she scolded.

  
“I mean, if you wanted to seduce me, you could just say so,” he teased.

  
Rey laughed brightly. Just then the waitress, Bazine, appeared at her side.

  
“Good evening,” she smiled. “Would you like to see the wine menu?”

  
Rey widened her eyes at Finn. “Should we have wine?”

  
“Hell, yeah. As long it’s by the glass, not the bottle.”

  
They ordered their food and wine: cabernet sauvignon for Finn, chardonnay for Rey. When the waitress left, Finn let his eyes graze over Rey.

  
“You look very pretty, peanut, if you don’t mind my saying.”

  
Rey was wearing a sleek, silk dress in a deep green that picked up her eyes. She lit up at the compliment.

  
“No,” she beamed. “I don’t mind at all. You look nice, too. I love that suit.”

  
“Shit, it’s the only suit I own,” Finn confided, making her laugh again.

  
____________________________________________________

As Bazine was entering their order, Kylo took another look out at table seven. The two critics---if that’s what they really were—seemed to be having way too much fun to be on assignment. _They’re on a date,_ he thought sourly.

  
“Table seven,” Bazine said, handing him the ipad.

  
Kylo looked at it and clenched his jaw.

  
“Baz?” he croaked, and she turned. “Who ordered the steak _well done_?”

  
Baz bit her lip; she knew where this was going. “The guy.”

  
Kylo’s face was impassive as he nodded slowly, staring at the order. “Yeah. He wants me to ruin an expensive cut of beef by burning it.” He clucked his tongue dramatically. "Not gonna happen.” He glanced over at Phasma, who was handling entrees. “Phas, make it medium. I’ll do the salmon.”

  
She sighed. “Kylo—”

  
“Do. It," he said, his voice brooking no quarter.

  
Phasma shrugged. "Yes, chef."

  
“Fucking philistines,” he muttered under his breath.

___________________________________________________________

Rey and Finn had finished their oysters and their first glass of wine. They were having way too much fun. 

“Should we get more wine?” Finn asked.

“You think Leia would care?” she asked.

  
“I doubt it,” he said.

  
“Food should be here soon, right?” Long wait times were certainly an issue when considering a review. At this point, the food wasn’t exactly late, but it was on the verge.

  
At that very moment, their food was brought out by a server. Bazine reappeared too, looking apologetic. “We're so sorry for the wait, it's very busy tonight. You’re welcome to another glass of wine or dessert on the house." She smiled sweetly.

  
Rey grinned at Finn. “Well, I guess that settles it. Yes, on the wine, please.”

  
Finn chortled. They both looked at their food. The presentation was flawless; the side dishes cooked just so, like something being photographed for _Food of Love._

Finn frowned slightly as his knife sliced into the steak and he saw pink. "Uh oh,” he said.

  
“What?”

  
“This is not well-done. I can't eat this."

  
“Really?”

  
“Yeah. This is medium.” He sighed.

  
“Well, let’s get that waitress back over here,” Rey said firmly.

"Remember what Leia said. He doesn't like complaints."

Rey ignored him and waved a hand at Bazine. The waitress wandered over, eyebrows raised. 

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry, but I asked for well-done," he said. "Would you please have them re-fire it?"

Bazine clucked her tongue. She knew this was going to be a problem. "I'm sorry. I'll bring it back to the kitchen. Your wine will be out momentarily."

Finn glanced at Rey. "You'd think they would know how to cook a steak properly. It's not rocket science."

Rey bit her lip. 

"It's okay, peanut don't wait for me. It'll get cold."

She took a bite of her salmon and her face softened. "Mmmm...."

"Yeah?"

"This is wonderful," she sighed.

___________________________________________________________

Kylo strode out of the kitchen and walked straight to table seven. Hux saw him out of the corner of his eye and turned. _Shit._ It was never good when Kylo entered the dining room during service. Bad things happened. 

"I understand there's a problem," came a deep voice. 

Finn froze, glass of wine in hand, and looked up. Rey turned and nearly choked on her salmon. The chef was standing there, looming over her. She hadn't expected him to be so... _big_. His large hands were clasped in front of him, a look of long-suffering vexation on his face. 

"Uh, my steak," Finn started, clearly intimidated. "It was a little....undercooked." 

Kylo's eyes flashed with anger. When he spoke, his tone was controlled, but his expression and his tense body language told a different story. 

"It was not _undercooked_. Actually, your steak was a perfect _medium_. It really should have been medium rare, or rare."

Finn frowned, confused. "I don't eat my steak that way," he said.

"Get something else," Kylo snapped.

Finn and Rey exchanged glances. 

"He ordered the steak," Rey said slowly, determined not to be intimidated by this....this _bully_ of a chef. "That's what he _wants_. _Well-done."_

Kylo pursed his lips, patience wearing thin.

"You ordered a forty-dollar cut of meat with all of the flavor cooked out of it. That's sacrilege. If you want your meat burned, go to Burger King. We don't do that here."

Rey's mouth fell open. She couldn't believe it. The _arrogance._ She glanced back at Finn. 

Kylo waved Bazine over. "Menu," he said. 

"No, I'll--I'll have the pasta," Finn shrugged. 

Kylo nodded, suddenly looking bored. His eyes moved back to Rey for a moment and he stared at her. "And _you?_ Is the salmon to your liking?"

Rey stared back, unable to stop her eyes from roaming down his impressive frame. He was well over six feet, and appeared quite fit, nearly bursting out of his chef's whites. His lips were full, a deep pink, almost like he'd bitten them. Suddenly flustered, she met his whiskey-brown eyes. The man was an insolent jerk, and yet, she couldn't deny he was....well.... _hot._

"Yes," she said softly. "It's very good."

Kylo's eyebrows shifted up. He nodded. "Cooked enough?" 

He's fucking with me. _Why is he fucking with me?_

"I--yes. It's perfect." 

Kylo nodded, his mouth quirking up just the slightest bit. "Enjoy your dinner," he said before turning to head back to the kitchen. 

:Rey looked at Finn. "Arrogant _prick_ ," she said with genuine amazement. 

"Yeah," Finn agreed. "He's everything they said, and more." 

___________________________________________________________

Kylo was in the kitchen looking over the new tickets when Hux bursted in, breathless.

"Kylo, what did you _do?"_

He shrugged. "Nothing. Table seven asked for a burnt steak. I told them we don't do that here. End of story."

Hux groaned. "That's the critic's table, you know."

"I'm fully aware. Leia is sending children to review me now. I don't know _what_ she's thinking. 

"Kylo, they're not children, and some people want their meat well-done. They're paying customers."

"It's not like we have a shortage of them," he said snidely.

"You keep this up, and eventually we _will,"_ Hux warned. 

"Hux, you've been saying that for years, and I don't see our patronage decreasing, do you?" He smirked. 

"You're such a _dick_ , Kylo," he gritted out. 

Kylo laughed. "Yeah, but this is one dick everyone wants."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so happy and excited to share this story with you, and to have the backup of my friend Ali, BenThereDoneThat! We are going to be turning up the heat for these two, PRONTO!! hope you enjoy !


	2. Appetizer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Torn about how to write her review, Rey decides to follow her journalistic ethics. But when she crosses paths with Kylo again, she sees a different side of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoy this spicy little morsel. :)

  
Friday morning, Hux was on the phone in the downstairs office of Red Kyber when Kylo strolled in, coffee in hand. He was just taking off his leather jacket when he tuned into Hux’s conversation. 

  
“Yes…just a nice assortment, nothing romantic. Do you have an ‘I’m sorry’ bouquet?”

  
Kylo frowned at him, questioning, and Hux glared back. 

  
“Sure…I’ll hold.”

  
“What are you doing?”

  
“I’m fixing your mistake,” Hux snapped, “again. Sending flowers to those two unfortunates from your mother’s magazine that you were so rude to.”

  
Kylo snorted. “You’re wasting your time and your money, Hux. Leia would never publish anything that would make us look bad.” 

  
“Hmm. I wouldn’t be so sure of that, Kylo. Your cockiness is going to get you into a whole lotta trouble one of these days.” 

  
“Yeah, so you keep saying but--” he shrugged dramatically. “it hasn’t happened yet.”

  
“Yes, that’s good….right,” Hux said into the phone. “ And the card, yes…. sign it: ‘Our sincere apologies… please come back and give us another chance.’”

  
Kylo walked away and went to grab his coffee. “Un- _fucking-believable,”_ he muttered.

  
Hux hung up the phone. “Actually, I should have included your name, since you’re the one who did the damage.” 

  
Kylo turned to him slowly. “I am not apologizing….to _anyone._ Just get that straight.” As he left the room, Hux pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes shut. He shook his head.   


“You will someday, Kylo. You will.”  
____________________________________________________  
  


“So, how was Red Kyber?” Rose bubbled, eyes wide. “I’ve been dying to go there since they opened! You _cannot_ get a table!”

  
“Yeah, tell me about it,” Rey sighed. “Well, the food was amazing. I had the salmon, but Finn, poor Finn ordered a steak. Well done.”

  
Rose crinkled her nose. “Oh, _no_. That’s a big no-no for some chefs.”

  
“Yeah, apparently. It came out medium, so he asked to have it re-fired, and then the chef came out. He’s like, this massive guy—” 

  
“Oh, wait, wait!” Rose jumped up excitedly from her desk and grabbed a copy of Saveur from the table behind them. She thumbed through until she found the article she was looking for. The heading read: Culinary Angel or Holy Terror? The Mystique of **Kylo Ren** ”. Just underneath it was a black and white photo of the man himself, standing regally in his chef’s whites, arms crossed. A hint of a smile quirked at his full lips, and Rey was reminded of just how damned attractive he was. 

  
“This is the guy,” Rose said excitedly. “You should read this!”

  
“Yeah, it’s him,” Rey said. “I don’t care to read it. He’s a jerk.” 

  
Rose chuckled. “Well, maybe, but he sure is hot, I mean….he can butter my bread any day.”

  
Rey shook her head and bit back a laugh. “Whatever, Rose.”

  
“Come on, tell me you don’t think he’s hot.” 

  
Rey cocked her head a bit. “Yeah, okay…he’s good-looking, but he’s an arrogant prick.”

  
“Well, you know how chefs can be,” Rose murmured. “Tell me what he said!”

  
“He told Finn to order something else. That he wouldn’t ‘burn’ a steak—yes, he said burn-and that if he wanted that, he should go to Burger King.” 

  
A loud guffaw of laughter burst out of Rose. “No way!! That is so fucking _badass!!"_

  
“Rose! No! We don’t like this guy! He’s rude! “

  
“Rey, you gotta think about it from their side. A lot of chefs hate the idea of overcooking a steak. It would be like if you ordered pasta and told them to put ketchup on it instead of real sauce.”

  
 _“Ewww_ ,” Rey sneered. 

  
“Exactly. They consider certain things a culinary sin: things that you should just never do. Chefs at this level are like artists. They have to be in control of everything, and they take their work very seriously. if anyone tries to tell them what to do or how to do it, it’s going to cause a problem. I know from personal experience. I dated one.” She shook her head. “Domineering to his last breath. I got sick of it finally.” She paused, then lit up with a grin. “But… the sex was _incredible."_

  
“Rose….” Rey laughed, “you’re out of control.” 

  
Rose looked down at the photo in front of her again. “I’m just _saying…_.”

  
“Honestly, I’m a little torn. I have to write this; do I mention his behavior?”

  
Rose shrugged. “I would. Leia values honesty. Besides, she knows all about him. Better than anyone.” 

  
“Yeah, Finn told me. Why didn’t she mention it to me? I didn’t even know she had a son.”

  
“Well…they’ve been estranged for several years. I don’t know the whole backstory, but I do know they don’t talk. He’ll call here once in awhile to speak with her and she’s always in a crappy mood afterwards.”

  
“Any idea why?’

  
“Nope. That door always slams shut when I try to open it,” Rose murmured. “Just write the review. Be honest.”

  
Rey bit her lip. Yes. She needed to tell the truth. It was part of her job. 

  
The end of the day was fast approaching by the time Rey had completed her review of Red Kyber. She was honest, praising the virtues of the restaurant--it's food, its service and its decor. She acknowledged that the only negative part of the experience was her run-in with Chef Kylo Ren. She didn’t go overboard, she was professional, simply commenting on the fact that the chef was rude, but from what Rose and everyone else was saying, that was already common knowledge.

  
Of course, it would be up to Leia whether to run the review as it was; Rey had done her job; she’d told the truth. The weekend was here, and she wasn’t going to worry about it. It would wait until Monday.

  
Rey glanced at the clock. It was just past four; she was ready to start her weekend. Rose came over and sat on the edge of her desk, rolling her neck. “What would you say to a Margarita?”

  
“I'd say, hello, Margarita,” Rey grinned.

  
Her intercom buzzed and she picked up the phone. “Yes, Julie...Sure, I’ll be right there.”

  
She hung up and frowned at Rose. “Someone sent me flowers.”

  
Rose widened her eyes. “Someone?"  
  
Rey went to the front desk. She barely looked at the bouquet but went straight for the card, reading it over as she walked back to her desk. 

  
Rose bubbled over. “Whoa, who are those from? Do you have a secret admirer?”

  
“They’re from him.” She said flatly. 

  
“Him? _Kylo Ren?_ I don't believe his fine ass sent you flowers! You lucky bitch!"

  
Rey read the card aloud: “’Our sincere apologies. Please come back and give us another chance. Red Kyber Staff.’”

  
Rose sank with disappointment. “Oh….he didn’t sign it himself?"

  
“No, but he’s the one who messed up. And these should have gone to Finn, not me. He’s the one who got the short end of the stick.” Rey pouted. “I know exactly what this is. Chef Ren sent these to try to make nice so I wouldn’t write a nasty review.”

  
Rose cocked her head. “Yeah, possibly but—”

  
“I’m going over there to tell him that I can’t be bought that way. I have to tell the truth.”

  
Rose scratched her head. “Well, I think—”

  
“It’s Leia’s decision, anyway. I'll worry about it Monday. Let’s go get that Margarita."

___________________________________________________________

Friday night during dinner service would not have been a good night to stop by the restaurant, so Rey decided to wait until the weekend. There was no lunch service on Saturdays, but the bar opened at 4. 

  
She went and sat at the bar, alone, and ordered a glass of wine. She definitely felt the need to bolster her confidence a bit before speaking with Chef Ren.

  
The kitchen staff had just ended a short meeting to discuss a few menu changes when Kylo sauntered out into the dining room to look for Hux. As he passed the bar, he recognized Rey and stopped. Hmm, how interesting. _Why was she back?_ And alone? 

  
He stood there, eyes wandering over her appreciatively, when she turned and saw him. She froze, her wineglass in midair. Neither one of them said anything for a minute.

  
“Back again, I see,” he said in his luxurious baritone. “I guess we must have made some kind of impression on you.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

  
“Aha, yes, you did. _Some_ kind.”

  
He smiled at her, amused. “I see your friend decided not to join you this time.”

  
“No,” she said, and stopped herself from explaining. She went there for a reason, and she was not going to let herself be charmed by this—this… _asshole._ “Actually, I came here to speak with you.”

  
Kylo raised his eyebrows. “Oh, really? I’m intrigued. Shall I join you?”

  
Rey felt flustered all over again by his proximity. “Do what you want, it’s your restaurant,” she retorted. 

  
Kylo folded his long body and perched on the stool. He gestured to the bartender, Mitaka, who poured him a single malt. 

  
Well?” He glanced at Rey, his face inches away from hers. She felt herself being pulled in by the power of his intense, masculine energy. “You wanted to talk to me," he said, mouth curling in a little smile. “Here I am." 

  
Rey met his eyes. _Don’t stare. Don’t stare._

  
“Yes. I wanted you to know that I appreciated the apology, but I had to write an honest review. It’s nothing personal. The way you treated my colleague was unacceptable and unprofessional.” 

  
Kylo sipped his scotch and looked at her, narrowing his eyes a bit. “ _Unprofessional?”_

  
“Yes,” Rey asserted. “Absolutely.”

  
“And may I ask how long you have been working with....Leia?”

  
“Four months.” 

  
He smirked. “Let me guess: this is your first job right out of college.”

  
Rey straightened her back. It irked her that he read her so well. “I—yes. But that has nothing to do with it.”

  
“What your name?” he asked. 

  
“Rey Niima.”

  
“Rey, I’m Kylo.”

  
“Yes, _I know_ ,” she said pointedly.

  
“Rey, the thing is, I run my restaurant a certain way. I believe in upholding standards of excellence in cooking and service. And one thing we don’t do is destroy food. Even if that’s what a customer wants. My restaurant, my rules. Anyone who doesn’t like it doesn’t have to come back.” He shrugged. “Does that make sense?”

  
Rey stared back at him, unable to look away. She had to admit, he _did_ have a point.

  
“I understand that, Chef Ren-“

  
“Kylo.”

  
Rey huffed. “ _Fine_ \--Kylo. I understand. But you were rude and dismissive. That is _not_ okay.”

  
She sat back a little, proud of herself for not backing down. 

  
He nodded at her, eyebrows raised. “Okay, well….you’ve made your point, Rey.” Kylo slugged back the remnants of his scotch. “I guess we won’t be seeing you back here again then, hmm?” 

  
Rey’s mouth fell open. 

  
“Shame,” he continued, as his tongue darted out to the corner of his mouth. “I was hoping you were here for a.... _different_ reason." He reached out and placed one large hand over Rey's, engulfing hers. The heat of his skin burned into her. "I was thinking maybe we could….get to _know_ each other.” He held her gaze a little longer as his implication hit her square in the face. 

"May I have my hand back, please?" she said softly.

  
Kylo removed his hand reluctantly then stood up, returning to his full height. “And for the record, I don’t _apologize_. To anyone. Have a nice evening, Rey.”

  
Rey sat fuming. Now, she was even angrier. He was so _infuriating,_ for him to even suggest that she might be interested in--what did he say? _Getting to know each other._ She finished her wine and slammed the glass down on the bar.

  
She did her best to block out little voice in her head that said: _Yes, you want to. You want to know him, in all sorts of ways._  


  



	3. Salad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's a hotshot chef who could have any woman he wanted and she's just a newbie food writer who thinks he's a jerk.
> 
> So why can't he stop thinking about her?
> 
> Kylo makes Rey an offer she can't refuse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We be turning the heat up just a bit in this chapter....

_That bitch._

Kylo hit the gas and the Porsche careened forward, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake. It was just after seven a.m., and the Embarcadero was still quiet, but that would soon change. He had snagged some gorgeous mollusks from the wharf and some beautiful apples and pears from the farmer's market. The pastry chef would love them.

He felt the urge to drive fast, faster than this, but in the city limits this would have to do. His body was burning with a need to run, to throw a punch, to _fuck_. Well, that made sense. He hadn’t bedded anyone for a good six months. Maybe _that_ was his problem; maybe, he just needed to get _laid._

Nearly a month had gone by since met her, his mother’s latest recruit, the newbie writer—Rey. She came into his restaurant just before dinner service, sat at the bar and confronted him about his rudeness. Yes, he knew he was rude--Hux reminded him about it on a daily basis- but he rarely thought about it or attempted to change his attitude. He was talented and successful, one of the most highly regarded chefs in San Francisco—hell, maybe in the country. So why did he care what some little writer from out of nowhere thought about him? Who the hell was _she?_ And why did it bother him so much?

  
Of course, he had refused to back down; that was his way. People expected it of him. He had a reputation to uphold at this point. But it was slowly becoming clearer that his reputation and his sense of entitlement were not earning him any friends, and sometimes it’s nice to have a real friend or two around. As for Hux—well, Hux just tolerated him. 

  
He sat at a traffic light, coffee cup in hand and sipped. She wasn't _really_ a bitch, of course. Maybe he was just frustrated that she had turned him down. He was actually rather impressed by the way she stood up to him. What was it about her? There was something familiar…something intangible in her that called to him. He couldn’t stop thinking about the way her hazel green eyes widened in shock when he touched her hand, or the freckles that dusted her cheeks. He wanted to kiss those freckles, somehow imagining they would taste like cinnamon. He thought about curling a hand around the back of her neck and drawing her in close so he could slide his tongue down her throat. He wanted to taste her, _really taste her_. Wanted to hear her sweet, girlish voice go dusky with longing when she said, “please,” and hear the sounds he would wring out of her with his thumb on her clit and his fingers inside her. He wanted to--

  
Kylo was startled out of his reverie by the staccato honking behind him; the driver yelled something out of his window as he swerved around the Porsche. The light was green, and he was just sitting there. He shook off his erotic daze and put the pedal down. 

  
She had done it, and he wasn’t surprised. He could tell she meant it when she said she would write the truth; what he hadn’t counted on was Leia actually publishing it. His restaurant never received a bad review; he might have been called out for his antics, like that time he was rude to a customer in front of Amilyn Holdo, another critic at _Food of Love_. But Leia had always protected him up until now. Well, he thought, everyone has their breaking point. It was done and it couldn’t be undone.   


He would be sure to pay a visit to the _Food of Love_ offices later to speak with Leia. _Maybe_ he would even apologize to her, for the first time in his life, for all the shit he’d put her through. And hopefully Rey would be there. He wasn’t exactly sure what he would say to her, but he’d figure it out.

___________________________________________________________

“Your son stole another one of my chefs,” Luke said dismally. “I’m pretty sure he just does it out of spite.”

  
He and Leia were sitting in her office, having a meeting. She sighed. 

  
“You’re probably right. I really don’t know what to say anymore. I can’t keep apologizing for him. Everything is about getting back at people for the past. I wish he’d get over it and just grow the fuck up.”

  
“My thoughts exactly,” he said. “I’ve pretty much given up hope that we’ll ever be able to bury the hatchet. “

  
“I know. I don’t think he realizes how lucky he was to have trained with you. His arrogance knows no bounds. That’s why I let that review go out as it was. He needs to learn a little humility.”

  
Luke smiled ruefully.

  
“Which reminds me, he’s stopping by today.”

  
“Oh, really? When was the last time?”

  
“Probably around Christmas. You know, he’ll call when he needs something or to complain. He did call me on my birthday, though.” She smiled, eyebrows flashing upwards. 

  
“Well, wonders never _cease,”_ Luke chuckled. “But if he’s on his way, I’m going to get the hell out of dodge.”

Their meeting over, Leia walked down to the hall with Luke. 

“Wait a second, there’s someone I’d like to introduce you to,” she said.

  
She led him over to the copy desk where Rey was working at her computer.

  
“Rey, this is my brother, Luke Skywalker. Rey is one of our newest and brightest,” she smiled.

Luke grinned. “Ahh, so this is the brave soul who took on Kylo Ren, eh? I like her already.”

  
Rey flushed with pride. “Pleasure to meet you. Salt of the Earth is one of my favorite places. I’d love to go back soon.”

  
“You should,” he urged. “We’ll take good care of you.”

“Maybe I’ll send her round to do your next review,” Leia offered.

  
“I’ll look forward to it,” Luke smiled warmly. “Rey, it’s been a pleasure, but we’re expecting the arrival of a dragon and I plan to avoid getting my face scorched.”

Rey laughed. ”Tata, ladies,” he waved.

  
“He’s great,” Rey murmured when he'd gone. 

  
“Yes, well not all chefs are assholes,” Leia smirked. 

  
“What did he mean about a dragon?”

  
“Umm, well, Chef Ren is coming in to see me…” Rey’s face fell. “They don’t exactly get along.” 

  
“Oh,” she said. “He’s upset about the review?” 

  
Leia put a hand on her arm. “Hey. Don’t you worry about that. And don’t let him intimidate you, in any way.” 

  
Rey nodded. She felt heat rising from her belly, just like the last time she was near him at the bar in Red Kyber. She had managed to push him out of her mind, for the most part. Sexy though he might be, he was not someone she needed to be around. She felt a magnetic pull towards him despite his cocky demeanor and she didn’t wanted to be seduced by it. 

  
She sent Finn a quick text. 

  
Me: Hey, do you want to go grab some lunch? Dr. Evil is supposed to be dropping by.

Peanut: Dr. Evil?

Me. Kylo Ren. The wicked bitch of the West. 

Peanut: LMAO Thanks for the warning!   
I can’t tho, have to finish this article. Ordering in today.

Me: ugh, fine.

“Julie, I’m going out for lunch. Tell Leia,” she called over her shoulder. She dashed down the hall like the place was on fire.   
  
Just as Rey was exiting the building, Kylo’s sleek black Porsche pulled up to the curb. In her flurry to get away, she didn’t see him, but he saw her. He sat watching her as she strutted down the street in her pea coat and jeans.

  
_That’s ok,_ he thought. _I’ll wait._

When Rey returned to the office forty minutes later, there he was in reception. He sat with one long leg crossed over the other, leafing through an old issue of _Food of Love._ It was the first time she’d seen him without his chef’s whites, and it was rather disconcerting. He was wearing a black t-shirt with black jeans, black leather jacket resting on the chair beside him. She was a bit caught off guard by the size and shape of him, his well-muscled torso emphasized by the fitted t-shirt. She stood there, momentarily stunned, when Kylo’s eyes snapped up and caught hers. 

  
“Hi, Rey," he smiled, confusing her further. 

  
“Hi,” she murmured. She thought he would have been angry. 

  
“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

  
“I—I have to get back to work,” she protested.

  
Kylo put his hands up defensively. “I won’t keep you long, I swear.”

  
She considered. “Okay.” She tilted her chin up, completely unsure of what to expect.

  
He patted the chair beside him. “Sit,” he said. She moved toward him slowly. “I don’t bite,” he grinned. “Usually.” 

  
Rey settled into the chair gingerly. “Ha,” she said, and his eyes crinkled. 

  
Kylo didn’t say anything for a few seconds. He scratched at the stubble on his chin and looked at the floor. If Rey didn’t know better, she would have thought he was…nervous.

  
“So?”

  
He looked up at her. “I’d like to cook for you,” he said.

  
She raised her eyebrows. “Cook?”

  
“Yeah. I’d like to make you dinner.”

  
She shook her head, puzzled. “But why?”

  
“Hmm, let’s just say it’s my way of apologizing.”

"Oh? I thought you didn't apologize, to anyone. Isn't that right?"

He tilted his head. "Well....there are always _exceptions."_

  
“Hmph. Well, don't apologize to me,” she said slowly. “Apologize to Finn."

He cleared his throat. “I already did. Before you got here.” 

  
“Oh,” she said, genuinely surprised. “Well...that’s good.”

  
“So, will you let me?”

  
“Let you?”

  
“Cook for you.”

  
“I, uh, appreciate the offer but, I’m not going to your house.”

  
Kylo laughed; it was a dark, low sound that sent a shiver of pleasure through her.

  
“Sweetheart, I didn’t invite you to my house. I meant at the restaurant. During dinner service. But it will be a special meal, just for you.”

  
Rey cocked an eyebrow at him. “And you're sure you’re not going to poison me, or anything?”

  
He laughed again. She thought she could get used to that sound. “No, I won’t. Besides, you’d have a restaurant full of witnesses if I did.” 

  
“Why don’t you cook for Finn, too?”

  
“I don’t want to cook for Finn," he stated flatly. " Just you.” 

His eyes dipped lower, sliding over her lips and resting briefly on her throat before returning to hers. His gaze was so intense, she almost felt like he was touching her.

  
“So ....what’s it gonna be, sweet girl, hmm?” He smiled, raising his eyebrows. 

  
Rey pursed her lips together, trying to ignore what his voice was doing to her. “Okay. Sure, why not. When should I come?”

  
The faintest flicker of a smirk crossed his lips at her words, because he was already thinking about that. Oh, he was _definitely_ planning to make her come. 

  
“Weekends are no good, too hectic. How about Tuesday or Wednesday next week?”

  
“Tuesday sounds good.” 

“Perfect,” he smiled and rose from his chair. Rey watched as he unfolded himself to his full height and in a fluid movement slid his arms into the jacket. 

“I can’t wait," he said. "Be good." He gave her a wink and strode out of the office, whistling. 

  


Next Tuesday. Next Tuesday she was going to be _treated to a special dinner by Chef Kylo Ren himself. Just her._

  
She had a feeling he might have something else in mind, too. 

Rey felt the excitement bubbling up in her gut and wanted to share it with Rose, but she was out of the office. Rey sent her a quick text. 

Me: Chef Kylo just asked if he could make me dinner at Red Kyber next week, just me, and I said yes.

Rose: What?!?! Omg, girl, he TOTALLY wants IN YOUR PANTS!!! :) 

Me: Well, maybe but that's not happening.

Rose: You say that _now_....  


___________________________________________________


	4. Entree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's here....what you've been waiting for....hot kitchen smut!! Mind the tags please.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is some knife play in this scene but it's consensual.

It was a typical Friday at _Food of Love,_ and the staff was wrapping up a meeting. Lunch had just arrived and Rey grabbed a veggie sandwich before heading back to her desk. She had been distracted for the past few days, ever since her run in with Kylo when he extended his invitation to dinner. It was four days away, and she couldn’t stop thinking about it. What would he serve? What should she wear? Did this count as a date? The more she thought about it, the more it seemed that was exactly what she was walking into.

She was just about to bite into her sandwich when her phone rang.

“Good afternoon, _Food of Love_ …Rey Niima. ”

“Hello, Rey.”

That voice….she’d know it anywhere. She felt the familiar warmth bloom in her lower belly at the sound.

“H-Hi,” she managed. “Who’s this?”

His dark, silky laugh floated through the receiver. “Come now, you _know,_ don’t you. Let’s not pretend.”

“Kylo.”

“Very good.” She could hear him smiling on the other side of the line. “How are you?”

“I’m just fine.”

“Well, that’s good to hear, Rey. I called because I need to know your preferences.”

Rey swallowed, feeling heat creep up the back of her neck. How did he make everything sound so…. _sexual?_

_“Preferences?”_

"Yes...what you like to eat. Meat, fish, fowl? I know you're not a vegetarian since you had the salmon last time."

“Uh. yes. Seafood. I like fish.”

“Good. Any allergies I should know about?”

This was turning into the _oddest_ conversation, she thought.

“Not that I’m aware of, no.”

“Very good. Okay, I won’t keep you. Next Tuesday, eight-thirty.”

“Eight-thirty? That’s kind of _late…_ ”

“Is that a problem?”

“No, it’s….it’s fine,” she mumbled.

“Good. I’ll see you then, kitten,” he said, and hung up.

Rey was bereft as she set the phone back in its cradle. _Kitten?_

____________________________________________________

Sunday morning, Kylo arrived at the gym around eleven as usual. He rarely bothered to go the restaurant during brunch; it wasn’t all that busy, and Hux was always around. Today, as luck would have it, Hux was still there. He was almost finished dressing and about to leave as Kylo arrived.

“Hey Hux,” Kylo called, removing his earbuds.

“Morning, Kylo. So what devious exploits do you have planned for today?"

Kylo ignored him. “I have a question,” he said as he set his bag down. “If you’re cooking for a date, would you serve scallops or lobster?” He took his jacket off and hung it in the locker.

“Well, nothing says decadence like lobster, it’s true.” Hux began. “On the other hand, it can be awfully messy and a bit of a pain. Unless it’s already shucked, of course. Why, you have a hot date coming up?”

Kylo’s face was impassive. “I’m just cooking dinner for somebody. Tuesday night. So Phas will have to run the kitchen after 7.”

“I don’t see that as a problem. Maybe we can get Poe to come in, too. Who’s it for?”

“That critic from _Food of Love._ The girl."

Hux raised his eyebrows. “Really?” He shook his head. “I don’t know _how_ you do it, Kylo.”

“She’s coming to Kyber. I'll be on the premises, just busy.”

“Well, wouldn’t it be easier to cook for her at _your place?”_

He smirked. “One thing at a time,” he said. “I haven’t gotten there yet, but I’m working on it.”

“Oh, I’m sure you are, you sly dog."

____________________________________________________

  
Kylo loved to listen to old school hip hop while he worked out. Right now, he was listening to Big Daddy Kane’s “Smooth Operator” and thinking about Rey. 

_I make it real good, like Dr. Feelgood_   
_To make sure my point is understood_   
_That when it comes to this there’s none greater_   
_Sincerely yours, the Smooth Operator_

He wanted to show Rey just how much of a smooth operator he could be. He wanted to be her Dr. Feelgood. She was probably lacking in experience, and there were so many things he wanted to show her. To _teach_ her. 

  
He needed to get the menu right. It had to be the perfect medley of flavors, with the texture element based heavily on creaminess. Let the menu do the sweet talking for him, and he would be halfway there. A creamy chestnut soup, hearts of palm, and seared scallops on a bed of creamy arborio for the main course. For dessert, there was really only one option, as he saw it: fresh figs with Mascarpone, classic and sexy. As far as Kylo was concerned, no food conveyed sex better than a perfect, ripe fig.

He would definitely join her for the dessert course. 

____________________________________________________

Rey had struggled all weekend trying to decide what to wear for her big night. She wavered back and forth between wearing her most revealing dress--a sleek, royal blue one with a plunging neck and back--or just jeans with a pretty blouse. She finally texted Rose the night before.

Me: I think I’m going with jeans. That's okay, right?

Rose: Rey, if you wear jeans tomorrow I will personally spill coffee on you so you have to go home and change. Wear a dress. That blue one is perfect.

Rey: I am _not_ wearing that. It sends the wrong message.

Rose: I mean, he’s going out of his way to do something nice for you.

Me: That’s the problem. it’s driving me nuts. WHY me?

Rose: Duh, it’s so obvious, dummy. He _likes_ you.

Rey paused. Obviously, he _was_ attracted to her. He flirted with her at the bar, then there was this-- _invitation._ And even after she had written the review. But she still couldn’t wrap her brain around just why he would want her. The thought of being alone with him made he nervous. He was just too freaking sexy, too magnetic, too….dominant. And it was pretty clear that he was the same way in the bedroom. The thought heated her blood more than she wanted to admit.

  
____________________________________________________

Tuesday night, Rey showed up at Red Kyber exactly on time. It certainly was late for her to have dinner, but she expected that he might be busy during the beginning of service and then have more time to cook for her at his leisure afterwards. At least, that was how she rationalized it.

She had decided against the jeans and wore a flattering skirt and blouse ensemble with her favorite pair of heels, leaving her hair down. Since it clearly was a date, she could at least make some effort. But she told herself that, under _no circumstances_ would she be going home with Kylo Ren. 

She gave her name at the front desk and was immediately brought to table seven, exactly where she had been last time. Kylo didn’t show himself, though, and she wondered if she would have to wait. Shortly, Bazine arrived and set a small plate in front of Rey that looked very much like a mini bouquet.

“This is the amuse bouche from Chey Kylo,” she smiled. “Edible flowers with goat cheese. Would you like some wine?”

“Yes, please.”

To Rey’s surprise, Bazine did not ask what kind she wanted. Instead, she disappeared, returning a short time later with a glass of a delicious, crisp white that Rey had never had before. Clearly, Kylo had chosen wines to be paired with each course.

But of course, he had. She smiled to herself, thinking about the degree of thought and care that had been put into this meal— _her_ special meal. She couldn't help but be affected by his efforts, by his attention--not to mention the food itself.

The soup came next: creamy, full of mushrooms and with a blend of spices she couldn’t quite pin down. She dipped into it and sighed with pleasure. But he still hadn’t shown himself since her arrival. She was starting to get fidgety. She had assumed he would come out and talk to her, at some point. He wasn't going to let her sit there alone all night, was he?

From the kitchen, Kylo periodically checked on her through the pass window; he wanted to see her reaction to what she was eating. It was clear that she was enjoying herself, and that made him smile. But he was going to make her wait just a little longer. 

Soup was followed by salad, which was simple but refreshing. Once she had finished it, Bazine brought her a second glass of wine, also white but different. 

"This will complement the scallops," she nodded. 

Rey looked around. Where _was he_? Was he planning to spend the entire meal in the kitchen? She wished she had brought a book with her, a common habit when she dined alone, but the only thing she had in the way of distraction was her phone. She was scrolling impatiently through twitter when she heard his voice rumble in her ear.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” She glanced up to see Kylo smiling down at her.

She bit her lip. “Yes, very much. Would you like to sit with me?”

Kylo smiled. That was exactly the question he wanted to hear. Right now, she was open to him, pliant. “Well, I have to finish your entrée,” he said. “It will be out shortly.”

“Oh,” she said, tipsy from the wine and the luxury of being spoiled with such culinary delights. “You will come sit with me after, won’t you?” she heard herself say.

Kylo slid down into the chair beside her, his dark brown eyes searching hers. “I'll visit with you now, for a minute,” he allowed.

His eyes scanned her face, sweeping down over her shoulders, her breasts.

“You look delicious,” he growled.

Caught off guard, Rey’s breath hitched. “Ah, thank you,” she managed. “I think.”

He stared at her for another moment as she sipped her wine, and then leaned forward. “Maybe I’ll come out and sit with you during dessert. Would you like that?”

She bobbed her head automatically. “Yes, please,” she said softly.

He raised a fist to his mouth as if biting back on something, before he spoke:

“I love hearing you say _‘please.'"_ Boldly, he reached out and slipped an errant strand of hair behind her ear. “I’d like to hear you say it again,” he whispered. “Would you do that for me, kitten?”

Rey’s mouth fell open as she suddenly realized what was happening. She struggled to find the words to respond appropriately. In another moment, he rose from the table with a little smile on his face.

“Your main course will be out soon,” he said, voice wrapping her up like a velvet glove.

When her entrée arrived, Rey almost moaned aloud. She loved scallops, and it was clear that they were perfectly seared. Bazine appeared at her shoulder. 

"Would you like anything else?"

Rey bit her lip. "No, thank you, everything looks...perfect." 

She bit into a scallop, and it was as perfect as it looked, almost melting on her tongue. She felt like she could almost swoon, from the heady mix of flavors, and _his voice_ , and the proximity of his body…those dark eyes….

Rey reached for her wine and drank deeply, hoping it would steady her.

She polished off the scallops, savoring them. When she set her fork down at last, Kylo was watching her through the window of the pass, smiling darkly. 

As soon as Bazine had cleared the plate, he carried out dessert himself to her table and sat down.

“So, here we have fresh figs with lemon-scented Mascarpone and honey,” he murmured, setting the plate before her with a small bow as if she was a queen and he her servant.

Rey was mute for a moment, overwhelmed with the voluptuousness of the meal, the wine…and the man who had prepared it.

“Have you ever had fresh figs before, like this, Rey?”

She shook her head slowly. He picked one up and guided it gently to her lips.

“Here, kitten. Taste.”

Rey bit into it and the flavors exploded on her tongue, he sweetness of the the honey and the added zing of the Mascarpone. It was positively erotic. Kylo then picked up another fig and made a show of letting his tongue dip into it before biting. Watching him through hooded eyes, Rey felt like she was watching porn _\--but so much better._

"I have to ask you something," she said.

"Okay," he smiled. "Ask away."

"Why would you do all this for me, even after I mentioned your behavior in the review? I thought you would have been angry."

He sighed. "Actually, I thought about it, and I realized you were right. Plus I admired the way you stuck by your guns as a journalist. You told the truth." His eyes flicked downward at the figs and he picked up another one, holding it in his hand for a moment. "I just didn't think my mother would have published it, but it's all good. Hasn't seemed to affect our patronage at all." He held the fig out to her. "Open. Show me your tongue."

Rey opened and he placed the fig on her tongue, watching with satisfaction as she chewed. 

She managed to gain enough control over herself to say, “Kylo, this has all been delectable. Luscious. I’ve really enjoyed it. But you should know, that I’m _not_ going to sleep with you,” she gritted out. Even as she said the words, she felt in her bones that it was a last ditch attempt to hold on to her dignity.

Kylo gave a lazy shrug. “Okay, kitten. If that’s the way you feel….that’s the way you feel. I’m still glad you came.” He gave her a slow, catlike blink. “Why don’t you get some coffee? I’ll head back to the kitchen. Come say goodbye before you leave, hmm?”

Rey looked around the dining room, suddenly realizing it was nearly empty. The kitchen had been closed since ten, and people had been trickling out one by one. It was nearly ten thirty. How had so much time passed?

Rousing herself, Rey left a tip for the waitress and made her way to the ladies room. She was fully planning to leave, but she’d be sure to speak with him before she left.

A few minutes later, Rey stood at the kitchen door and peered in. There were only a couple kitchen staff left, cleaning up. Kylo was sitting by the prep table, making notes in a book. She opened the door and strode towards him. He looked up when he saw her, a knowing smile on his face, but he didn’t move. She took another step closer, and closer, until she was less than six inches away.

“Leave us,” he called out. The few remaining chefs vacated the room in the blink of an eye.

  
“Yes, kitten?”

  
“I just wanted to say thank you again,” she said, “before I leave.” 

  
He rested his chin on a fist, eyebrows raised. “Do you _really_ want to leave?”

  
She hesitated. “Yes, I…..” 

  
He clucked his tongue. “I don’t think you _do_ ,” he said. “I don’t think you’re being honest with yourself…or me. In fact…” he stood to his full height, “I think you want to stay. I think you want me to fuck you. Right here." 

  
She licked her lips. “Don’t tell me what I _want_ ,” she spat.

  
He grinned. “Aww, still denying it, kitten?"

  
_“_ Fuck you, Kylo!”

  
“Yes. That's exactly it, "he smirked. "Do you know how much I want to taste that sweet pussy of yours?"

  
Her small palm flew up to deliver a stinging slap. 

He barely flinched, just looked at her. Then he reached out and dragged her in roughly for a hard, violent kiss that stole her breath. Her body went slack, all the fight leaving her as he explored her mouth with his tongue. When he pulled back, they were both slightly breathless. Moving slowly, he gestured with his chin toward the table. “Jump up,” he said. 

  
Rey let out a shaky breath before hopping up on the table. The look on his face was pure victory.

“Unbutton your blouse," he said softly.

  
She gave a defiant little shake of her head. Kylo reached over and picked up one of his knives. With a flourish, he slid it so the tip was just under her chin. Rey’s eyes widened, and she gasped in shock. “Do it _now,”_ he repeated calmly, “or I will. You don't want me to destroy this pretty blouse, do you?"

  
Swept up in a mixture of arousal tinged with fear, she unbuttoned herself with trembling fingers, all the way down to the bottom, exposing a sliver of her lean torso and her pretty lace bra. 

Kylo smiled. “That’s my good kitten. Take it off now. Bra too.” 

  
When she had stripped off her blouse and bra, she was self-conscious, trying vainly to cover herself, but he pushed her hands away. He lowered the knife. 

  
“No. I want to _see_ you.” His eyes dragged down her body slowly. "You’re so lovely, Rey. Do you know that?”

  
She gave an almost imperceptible shrug but flushed from his praise.

“Lie back,” he said softly. 

With hesitation, she lowered herself down onto the table. He moved over her, still brandishing the knife and dragged the tip of it very gently down from her throat, over her clavicle, toward her belly button. His attention went to her breasts. He set the knife down and leaned over to circle one pink nipple with his tongue before drawing it between his lips. A low, jagged moan slipped from Rey as he continued to suck on one nipple, while his nimble fingers toyed with the other. 

  
He straightened, pleased with the hazy look of wanting in her eyes. “Lose the panties, kitten. You can keep the skirt on.” 

  
She fumbled, reaching under the flared skirt and yanking her underwear off. Kylo took it from her hands and slipped it into the pocket of his whites. 

He wasted no time trailing his fingers against the line of her hip, drawing little circles on her thighs, moving closer and closer to the place where she needed him most. His gaze was unwavering, watching her every reaction as he kept teasing her. His fingers brushed against her center, feeling how wet she was and he hissed.

  
“Goodness, kitten. You’re all wet….how did _that_ happen?” he smirked. She let out a whine as he continued teasing her, brushing her swollen clit but not giving her what she really wanted. 

Then she heard herself say:   


“ _Please….”_

  
“Yes, kitten?” 

  
“Please….” She couldn’t get the words out. 

  
“If you want me to lick this beautiful pussy of yours, you have to ask nicely.”

  
“Please, Kylo….lick me…”

  
“Please, _Sir,_ ” he corrected. 

  
Rey swallowed. “Please, Sir... lick my pussy.”

  
“Good, kitten. Love hearing you beg." He pushed her knees up and spread her thighs wider. Rey felt so exposed as he stared at the most private part of her body. She felt one finger enter her and she gasped as his thumb stroked her clit. She did her best to restrain her moans until Kylo retracted his hand and looked down at her. 

"Don't move, kitten." 

He walked over to the other side of the kitchen to the pastry table. When he returned, he had a pastry brush and small container of something amber--looked like honey. She wiggled in anticipation, watching as he seated himself by her spread legs. He set the jar on the table by her hip. When she looked at it again, she knew what it was: maple syrup.

"Kitten, be good for me now, or you won't get to come. Close your eyes."

She nodded. Kylo smiled and dipped the pastry brush into the jar. She felt the tickle of the brush on one breast as he painted a stripe of syrup of her nipple, and then his lips again, sucking. The low rumble in his throat came in sync with her own whimpers. 

"Keep your eyes closed," he said. 

She felt the brush again dragging along her inner thigh, all the way to the lips of her pussy, leaving a sticky trail in its wake. Kylo's tongue flickered, warm and wet against her skin as he licked up the syrup. 

"Do you like this, kitten?"

"Yes, Sir," she breathed.

He smiled, watching her hungrily, his erection almost painful in his jeans. He sat still for a moment and waited. "You've been so good and patient. Good girls get to come." 

She shifted her hips, aching for him. 

When Kylo drizzled a stream of maple syrup over her her little nub, she thought she was going to lose her mind. He licked a thick stripe up her center before latching onto her clit and sucking hard. Rey's whole body vibrated as the pleasure started rising in her in waves, each one stronger than the last. The sounds coming from her were wanton, unrestrained. A hand clapped over her mouth. 

"Shhh...you have to keep it down, kitten. There are still people in the building."

She whimpered when he stopped. "Quiet, kitten, be good now." She nodded, grateful when his mouth returned to her pussy, two fingers inside curling up as he sought her g-spot. He kept going until he could tell she was right on the edge. "I want you to come for me, now, like a good girl."

She came with a choked cry, her back arching sharply, whole body shaking. He rode it out with her, not stopping until the quivering in her thighs had subsided. He sat up and kissed her, and she tasted maple syrup mingled with her own essence and the unmistakable flavor of Kylo himself. 

Rey sat up, tugging her skirt down and leaning her head on his shoulder. 

"Do you want to come home with me now, Rey? I want to ruin you in my own bed." 

"Yes, Sir," she smiled. "I'm ready."

__________________________________________________

Hux stood just outside the kitchen door, shaking his head. "Kylo, you're out of control," he muttered to himself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think Kylo definitely knows how to get his way....at least most of the time. But Rey is no easy mark. 
> 
> I love comments! Shoot me one if the mood strikes. Come say hi on twitter!


	5. Dessert

As they sat at the light, Kylo tossed Rey a heated glance and held her eyes for a long moment. He wore a smug little smile that made her heart beat faster.

“ _Fuck_ , kitten. I can’t wait to have you in my bed. I’ve got _plans_ for you.”

The light changed and he gunned the motor. There was the squeak of wheels on the pavement, and Rey let out little gasp. He was driving fast, _too fast_ , for her tastes. Luckily, it was after eleven and the area south of Market Street was mostly deserted, allowing the Porsche to fly. She glanced out at the window as the city lights flashed by.

She looked over at Kylo’s handsome profile as he glided the car with the same effortless skill that he used with a chef’s knife in his hand, and she found herself wondering if he fucked with the same focused ferocity. A vague sense of unease dripped down her spine suddenly. What had she gotten herself into? She tried to school her voice when she spoke up but it sounded thin and unsure to her.

“What… kind of plans?”

Kylo hummed, the corners of his mouth tipping up again in a smirk as he stared straight ahead at the road.

“Oh, come on, kitten, I'm not going to tell you ahead of time, _that’s_ no fun. But don’t worry, I’m gonna take real good care of you.”

Kylo’s condo was in Russian Hill, on a steeply angled street. Rey had walked through the neighborhood before, many times, often wondering what the expensive homes looked like inside. Of course, he would live _here,_ she thought. After all, he was Kylo Ren, star chef. Another flash of unease swept through her as she realized she was way out of her element.

He parked on the street and led Rey inside. His home was a gorgeous, two-bedroom Victorian house that had been completely redone and modernized. The color scheme was black and white: spotless white walls contrasted with the mostly black furniture, a buttery black leather sectional the centerpiece of the living room. The only splash of color came from the music posters and prints on the walls. Everything was so neat, in its place. Looking around, Rey had to laugh to herself because it was _so Kylo._

“This place is amazing,” she said. “I’ve never actually been inside one of these homes.”

Kylo gave a casual shrug, unimpressed. “Yeah, it’s nice. I’m rarely home, though.” He turned his attention back to her. “Would you like a drink?”

“Sure,” she said, walking over to inspect a large, framed poster of Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pop festival. “I never imagined you would be a fan of Jimi’s,” she mused.

Kylo set two large snifters on the kitchen island and uncorked a bottle of Cognac. “Why not?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “I wouldn’t have guessed rock music and you would go together.”

He eyed her curiously. “Well, I’m happy to surprise you. I’m a collector. I have another Jimi upstairs in the bedroom and a huge record collection, most of it's classic rock, some jazz. But Jimi was _the man_.” He gestured toward a shelf on the wall and that’s when she noticed the rows of LPs, all neatly lined up.

She grinned. “I’ll bet these are all alphabetized.”

Kylo chuckled “Well, you know. I like order.” He picked up a snifter of brandy in each hand and carried them over to her. She took a moment to admire the size of his hands, his thick fingers tapering to neatly manicured nails. _Manicured,_ she thought _. He actually gets manicures._

He clinked glasses with Rey, dark eyes probing hers. “Your health,” he said, raising his glass. Her eyes were drawn to the fullness of his lips and she had to remind herself not to stare. Kylo felt it.

“You give yourself away,” he murmured with a slow smile.

“What?”

He hummed again. “You try to hide what you’re feeling, but you can’t. I can read you like a book.”

Rey took a gulp of the Cognac, savoring the pleasant burn as it went down. She stared right back at him. “Really? And what am I thinking right now, Kylo?”

He swirled the snifter slowly. “You’re thinking that you want my cock,” he said, voice low and gravelly. His eyes wandered over her. “You’re thinking about having my hands all over your body, cupping your breasts and touching that sweet pussy of yours."

Rey let out a shaky breath; she knew she was wet, and she was pantiless because he had pocketed them back in the restaurant. She felt naked.

“Am I right about that, kitten?”

“Maybe,” she said. He smiled before leaning forward to kiss her, parting her lips with his tongue, hot and wet.

“Upstairs," he said. "Follow me.”

The second floor was dark, the only light spilling in through the giant picture windows from the street outside. She followed Kylo into the master bedroom. He lit a single candle, then moved quickly around the room lighting others that had been placed strategically around the room. Rey was surprised.

“Candles, eh? Pretty romantic.”

“I just like the softness of candlelight. Regular lights are too jarring. Especially after being in the kitchen all day.”

At his words, there was the light tinkling of a bell and then something soft brushed against her ankle; Rey let out a little squeak of surprise.

“Oh, that’s just Sheena,” he said. He murmured soft endearments to the cat and she went to him, curling around his leg. He bent down to stroke her fur. "She's my princess."

Rey could barely make out the dim outline of the cat, all black. Her green eyes glinted in the candlelight. "Pretty," she said.

She turned her attention back to Kylo as he straightened, unbuttoning his shirt, eyes smoldering.

“Get on the bed, kitten,” he said.

Rey couldn’t help herself. “I’m sorry, did you mean _me_ , or Sheena?”

Kylo huffed. “Funny,” he said. “I’m serious, Rey. If you act like a brat, I’ll have to punish you.”

Her mouth went dry. “But would I _like_ it?”

“Only one way to find out.” He pulled off his shirt and tossed it over a chair. His chest was broad and almost hairless, his belly flat and smooth; she tried not to stare. "And remember the rules.”

She walked over to the bed and sat down, feeling less than composed, and the feeling was thrilling.

“What do you say?” he prodded.

“Yes, sir.”

“Good girl.” He leaned down and pulled something out from under the bed: a bar with cuffs attached to each end. Rey had never seen one before, but she had an idea of what it might be used for.

“Lie back, kitten.”

“Wait,” she said.

He paused, eyebrows raised in amusement. “Yess?”

“Do we need a _safeword?_ ” Rey had never needed one before, but right now, it seemed like a good idea.

"Sure, if you feel the need. What would you like it to be?"

Rey thought for a moment. “Cauliflower.”

Kylo closed his eyes and shook his head. “ _Cauliflower?_ ” he muttered in disbelief.

“Yes.”

He stifled a laugh. “I’m not even going to ask where _that_ came from, but fine, cauliflower it is. Anything else?”

“No, sir.”

“Good. Now stop talking or I’ll have to put that pretty mouth of yours to better use, kitten.” 

She swallowed. “Yes, Sir.”

“Now lie back.” Kylo positioned the spreader bar between her ankles and quickly fastened a cuff to each ankle. Then he snapped the bar open, forcing Rey’s legs wide apart. He loomed over her, enjoying the stunned look on her face before he yanked his jeans and boxers off. Even in the dim light, she could tell he was large, much larger than she thought. He smirked at her and tugged on his cock a few times before rolling the condom on. 

Kylo crawled over her on the bed, his mouth claiming hers hungrily.

“I’ve been thinking about this for awhile, kitten,” he whispered, breath hot in her ear. “Ever since that day at the bar when you called me out.”

His hand rested on her throat, just lightly, for a moment before trailing towards over her chest and stopping to roll a nipple between his fingers. She moaned softly, as he nibbled on her neck, sucking a mark into her skin. Impatient, Rey reached for his cock, squeezing gently and Kylo groaned.

“Not yet, kitten,” he breathed. “Need to soften you up a little more."

The rough pad of his thumb brushed her clit as he sank one finger inside her, reveling in her wet heat. “Mm, you’re so wet for me, kitten. Aren't you?"

“Yes—yes. Sir, it’s all for you.”

Kylo smiled into the darkness, knowing he had been right all along. He continued to stroke her, two fingers inside, bringing her closer and closer to the edge as Rey emitted a series of breathy little moans. When he felt her tightening, he stopped.

“Don’t come yet, kitten,” he mouthed against her throat. “I’m gonna split you open now."

Kylo withdrew his fingers, sucking her taste off of them with a sigh before he knelt over her. Holding his cock, hard and throbbing, he dragged the head along the length of her slit, coating himself in her wetness. He stilled himself, nestled at her entrance. 

“Please, sir….” She panted….”I-I want…”

He smirked. “You want some _more,_ kitten?”

Despite her overwhelming horniness, Rey found herself unable to restrain a chuckle at the line.

“Yes, Sir...please, I want some more. Please."

"So impatient," he chuckled. 

He plunged into her with a grunt. Rey hissed in approval as he pushed in, forcing her to adapt to the sweet stretch, to take him in all the way until he was buried up to the hilt. For a minute she was worried he would tear her somehow, but her body acclimated to him and all she felt was a heavenly sense of fullness. He stopped moving and looked down at her, panting slightly.

“Kitten, you’re taking me _so well_ ,” he growled. “Good girls get to come.”

He started to move, sliding out of her slowly and then back in, finding a rhythm. The spreader holding her legs apart let him in so deep, she thought he would touch her stomach. The sense of restraint it created only ratcheted up her excitement and she was shocked to hear the guttural sounds ripped from her throat as he moved faster, slamming into her now. She was getting close, when suddenly—his hips stilled. Grinning down at her, he stretched a long arm out and reached into the bedside drawer and retrieved something. She didn’t see it, but she thought she knew what it was. When he slipped it over her clit and the vibrator came to life, she jolted from the intense stimulation.

“You know what to do, kitten. Hold it right there."

As soon as he started to move again, she knew it wouldn't be long. 

Kylo set a bruising pace now, nothing gentle about the way his hips slammed into hers.

“ _Goddamnit,_ Rey, you’re so wet— _so tight-_ “

Rey felt her climax inches away, she was close, so close. “Fuuck...oh, _Kylo..."_

“That’s right, kitten. I _own_ this pussy now. Say it.”

Rey heard herself saying the words: “Yes. It’s yours...all yours."

“Good girl. Come for me.”

As her climax hit her hard, eyes rolling back, Kylo was right behind her, uttering a stream of curses as he came. He collapsed on top of her and they lay in a heap for awhile, boneless, panting and sweating, Rey still trembling from the aftershocks. Finally, he rolled off of her and leaned down to unlock the spreader bar. Rey curled into herself and he got back in bed beside her, pulling her close to his chest.

“You’ll stay, won’t you?” he murmured into the darkness, his voice different now—softer, almost _vulnerable._ He planted a gentle kiss on her cheek. “I’ll make pancakes in the morning.”

Rey smiled. “I’ll stay,” she said and kissed the corner of his mouth. She liked seeing him like this. The famous Kylo Ren, terror in the kitchen, had finally been unmasked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to say thank you to all of you for reading, and especially those who take the time to share comments with me. I cannot stress enough how much it means to me as a writer to know that what I created has touched someone in some way.


	6. Digestif

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After their passionate night together, Kylo definitely wants more. Rey's not convinced she can trust him.

In the morning, Rey woke in Kylo’s bed to the sound of mellifluous electric guitar music, floating up from downstairs. She was pretty sure it was Hendrix, but it wasn’t a song she recognized right away.

Damn. The man _really did_ love his rock and roll, didn’t he?

She took a quick glance at the clock on the bedside table and forced herself to sit up. It was just after seven, and she needed to rush home to shower and change before heading to the office. Rey threw on last night’s clothes, quickly and haphazardly, took a few moments to clean herself up in the bathroom and then made her way downstairs.

Kylo was sitting at the kitchen island, leafing through the newspaper. He looked up as she descended, gifting her with a little smile. He was dressed in grey sweatpants and a black t-shirt.

“There she is,” he announced with a small grin, to no one in particular. “Did you sleep well?”

Rey could only assume the question was a reference to the unbelievable railing he'd given her the night before. She gave a vague nod and a shrug.

“Listen, I can make you breakfast, anything you want,” he offered. “Pancakes?”

Rey loved pancakes. She loved the fact that this talented, accomplished man—who also happened to be ridiculously hot—was offering to cook for her. But she needed to go  
.  
“I uh, I need to get home before work,” she said. “Need to shower.”

Kylo’s eyebrows shifted up. “My shower works great,” he chuckled.

“Yeah, well..I need to change. I wore these yesterday.”

“Mmmhh.” He frowned slightly and pursed his lips .“Not wanting to reveal where you spent the night, that it?”

“Well, yeah,” she muttered. As if it wasn’t the most obvious thing in the world.

He tilted his head and appraised her curiously.

“My mother really won’t care, if that’s what you’re concerned about. It's really none of her business," he said flatly. "Would you like an espresso? Cappuccino?” Kylo raised his cup and Rey’s eyes traveled to the counter, where a $700 Breville espresso machine sat.

Rey hesitated. “Cappuccino sounds good, and then I have to call a cab.”

“I’ll take you home.”

“No, that’s okay, I can call a cab.”

“Rey… _I’ll_ take you. It’ll be much faster.” 

She nodded, watching him pack the espresso pod. She took another look around the room, browsing through his tremendous record collection.

“Which album is this?”

“It’s a live recording from ’68. It’s Leia’s. I kind of _borrowed it,_ permanently," he chuckled. 

“Leia likes _Hendrix_?” she shifted back in surprise.

Kylo glanced over his shoulder. “Where do you think my love for his music comes from? She’s a hug fan. The Doors, Janis, all those guys. She was too young to go to Woodstock, but she was a total flower child.”

“Hmph.” Rey smiled, picturing her poised, sophisticated boss as a young girl with flowers in her hair. “Who would have thought?"

Kylo hit the brew button and smiled. “People are not always as easy to read as you think, cupcake.”

Rey shrugged. “That’s true,” she admitted, her eyes shifting away.

“How do you want it?” he purred.

“Hmm?”

“Your coffee. How do you take it?”

“Two sugars, please. Do you have a carry-out cup? I really need to get home.”

He nodded. “Sure.” As he finished making her coffee, he threw another casual glance at her.

“So, did you enjoy last night?”

Rey felt a flush of heat in her cheeks. 

“I…yes. Didn’t I say? Dinner was incredible.”

Kylo handed her the cup. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” She tried to ignore his eyes burning into her.

“And….?" He prodded, folding his arms across his chest. “ _After_ dinner _?”_ He gave her that _look_ _—the_ one that seemed designed to draw wetness between her legs.

“That was good, too," she admitted, biting her lip. “Very good.”

“It certainly _seemed_ like you were having a good time," he said with his trademark smirk.

Rey felt a low throb in her core. How could he possibly affect her so strongly _without even touching her?_

"We should do it again," he pressed. "Maybe we could go _out_ first next time.”

“I ….I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“Well, I know you’re probably not looking to settle down. Be serious with anyone.”

His smile faded. "Oh? And how would you know that?”

She gestured impatiently. “It’s just…you know. Your rep—”

“My reputation. But there you go again, assuming that people are just what you see on the outside. I have layers, Rey. I’m not just some asshole." 

  
“I never said that,” she barked defensively.

“You didn’t have to. I can tell that’s what you think.”

“Hmph. No, I don’t exactly. Can we talk about this in the car? I don’t want to be late.”

"Grab your stuff, let’s go.”

In the car, his mood was subdued. She watched his profile as he drove, a slight frown darkening his handsome visage. At that moment, she felt bad—she realized she had hurt his feelings.

“Luke says you steal his chefs. Is that true?”

Kylo huffed. “Well, that’s one way of looking at it. Another way is that his people came to me willingly. Luke’s a master chef, but his methods are outdated. He has a lot of young talent floating around his kitchen and some of them want to try new things.” He shrugged.

"Did you use to work with him?"

He paused before responding. "He trained me."

"So what happened?"

Kylo let out a soft sigh. "It's a long story. Maybe I'll tell you sometime, over drinks." He gave her a sly glance. 

They rounded a corner much faster than Rey would have liked, and she nearly spilled her coffee.

"Do you _always_ drive like a lunatic?" she bit out.

"Do you always judge people before you get to know them?" he retorted calmly. 

She sighed. "No. I try not to, anyway."

They were quiet on the rest of the ride to her place. As he pulled up to her building, he glanced up at it with a small frown.

"This is where you live?"

Rey immediately felt defensive. "Yes. Why?"

"It doesn't look...I mean, it's not the _safest_ of neighborhoods."

She tilted her chin up haughtily. "It's fine, I've never had any problem."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Leia should be paying you more."

"Well, I'm planning to move. Just haven't found a place yet," she said, pushing the door open. "Thanks for the ride."

Kylo shrugged, biting his lip. Rey turned and was about to walk away.

"Rey....wait."

She turned.

"I'd really like to get to know you better. I promise, I'm not so bad. Just give me a chance, please. Can I call you?"

She shifted her weight to one leg. "I don't know. Let me call _you."_

He raised his eyebrows. "Sure. But you don't have my number."

She took a step backwards. "I'll call the restaurant. See you, Kylo."

He nodded, his expression unreadable. 

++

Rey was showered, changed, and at her desk by nine-fifteen. Rose must have been out on assignment because she would have been all over her with questions about the previous night. Rey dove into her emails, trying not to think about the giant, Adonis-like man with the deep voice who had rocked her world the way no one else ever had. 

  
A short time later, Leia poked her head out of her office. 

“Rey, would you come in here please?”

  
 _Hmm. That wasn’t a good sign_. She couldn’t imagine what the problem was. She strolled into Leia’s office, still clutching Kylo’s coffee mug.

  
“I’m sorry I was late,” she said. “I—overslept, and the bus—”

  
“Rey, that’s not why I called you in. Listen, I want you to know that I know about your dinner at Red Kyber last night….”

  
Rey frowned. “But….?”

  
“I got a call from someone who works there, it doesn’t matter who, and that person told me.”

  
Rey shifted nervously in her chair. 

  
“Umm, is there a problem…..? I…..don’t understand."

  
“Rey, I know he did a special dinner for you, and I don’t know what happened afterwards-I don’t _want_ to know, but I do want to warn you that my son is not really someone you want to get involved with. He’s not a bad guy, and underneath all the bluster, he does have a good heart. But he can be unpredictable, especially with women. And I don’t want to see you get hurt.” She shrugged. “It’s a free country, and you can take my advice or leave it. I’m just telling you what I think, okay?”

  
Rey pressed her lips together and nodded.

  
“Okay,” Leia said with a little smile. “How was the food?”

  
“It was amazing,” Rey breathed. “All of it.”

++

  
A few weeks had gone by since her night with Kylo. Rey had resigned herself not to contact him after her little conversation with Leia. She didn’t think about him quite as much as she did at first, but he always seemed to be lurking in back of her mind. She was actually a bit surprised that he had not called her at the office, but then took it as a sign that perhaps he wasn’t as interested in her as he pretended to be. He was accustomed to women going after him; he’d probably forgotten her already.

She felt like it was the right decision, even though she kind of missed him. She thought of his sweet smirk, his soulful brown eyes probing her like he could see into her soul. 

“Rey! The annual benefit dinner for Resistance Kitchen is coming up in two weeks!” 

  
Rose was standing by Rey’s desk, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. Resistance Kitchen was a well-known food pantry that helped feed the homeless and underserved population of San Francisco. Any restaurants that supported them were generally granted a handful of tickets to it each year. Leia always let her staff draw numbers to see who the lucky attendees would be.

  
“It sounds great,” Rey smiled, “but I wouldn’t get my hopes up. There’s only a handful of tickets available.”

  
“I know, but we have a shot! And I’ve been here for three years and still haven’t gone,” she sighed. “Wouldn’t it be awesome if we _both_ got a ticket?”

  
Rey nodded. She wondered if Kylo would be there, but she didn’t want to say anything. Rose had finally stopped bugging her to call him so the last thing she wanted to do was bring his name up.

  
As if reading her mind, Rose gave her friend a sly glance. “He might be there, you know.”

  
Rey raised her eyebrows innocently. “Who?”

  
“Oh, come on, Rey. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t be thrilled at the chance of seeing him again.”

  
Rey shook her head. “ _Thrilled_ probably isn’t the right word,” she chuckled. Even as she said it, she knew she was lying to herself. "His name is not even on the flyer.”

  
“So what, there’s always a mystery guest,” Rose bubbled. 

Rey shook her head. “It doesn’t seem like the kind of thing he’d want to do, does it?”

  
“He’s done it before. He was one of the featured chefs five years ago. That was right after Red Kyber just opened.”

  
“See? He probably just did it for the publicity,” Rey said.

  
Rose rolled her eyes. She had about had it with Rey's refusal to acknowledge her attraction to Kylo. 

“You don’t _know_ that. Why do you always assume the _worst?”_

  
Rey shrugged. “Habit. Experience.” 

“Well, maybe we’ll change your mind.”

When the numbers were drawn of the staff, the winners were 3, 12 and 19 and 48. Rose had 3. Rey had 12.

  
They were going to the benefit.

++

“Does my hair look okay, Rose?” Rey called from the adjoining room. She had gone over to Rose’s apartment to get dressed so they could go to the benefit together. Rose appeared in the doorway and her face lit up. She looked lovely, in a soft, petal-pink gown with puffed sleeves and a fitted bodice.

  
“Oh, girl, you look gorgeous,” Rose exclaimed. 

  
Rey looked back in the mirror. The dress was a dark blue satin, and fitted the curves of her body well. She’d had her hair done in a French braid and had on a pair of brand new, silver stillettos that she had never had an occasion to wear, until tonight. 

"So do you," Rey returned.

“Come on, the car will be outside in a couple of minutes.”

They climbed into the stretch limo a few minutes past eight. Snap and Kaydel were already inside. 

  
“Hey, you guys look so pretty!” Kaydel enthused, champagne glass in hand and nearly empty. 

Once they were seated, Snap called, “Would you ladies care to indulge?”

  
They both laughed, and Rose held up a hand. “Rey and I are ready….to get _fucked up,_ ” she sang playfully. Snap poured glasses of Korbel Natural and handed one to each. He raised his glass high in a toast, and they all drank.

"Oops, time to open another one," Snap chortled.

++

By the time they arrived at the event, Rey, Rose, Snap and Kay were half soused on cheap sparking wine.

  
They made their way into the main banquet hall, joking and laughing breathlessly. Finally, when they were seated at the communal table and saw Leia, they reigned themselves in.

  
Rey found herself sitting right beside Leia.

“You look lovely, Rey. They color suits you.” Leia smiled regally, but Rey suddenly had an internal flash—her concept of what Leia must have been like as a young girl, as a flower child.

  
Just as the room started to quiet for the event, Rey leaned closer to her boss and said: “Kylo told me that you really love Jimi Hendrix,” she huffed gleefully.  
Leia returned her smile with a gentle, measured one.

“Yes. My son took most of his musical tastes from me,” she said softly. With that, the presenter at the front of the room began to speak.

Rey continued to enjoy the champagne, which flowed freely at the event. 

  
One of the featured chefs was Luke Skywalker, which was mentioned in the program. Rey and her company applauded Luke enthusiastically.

  
There were two other featured chefs, but Rey wasn’t familiar with either. She and her group continued to eat, drink and enjoy what was being offered. 

  
Finally, when Rey was laughing at something Rose had said, the MC went up to announce the night’s special guest. 

  
“Tonight, at Resistance Kitchen, we welcome Chef Kylo Ren, of Red Kyber, as our special guest."

The hall flooded with excited applause. 

  
Rey’s mouth instantly went dry and Rose elbowed her in the gut. 

Rey glanced over at her dazedly. "See? I told you!!" Rose mouthed.

  
She really hadn't prepared herself for this. 

After being announced, Kylo, who had been lurking in the shadows of the stage, lurched forward. His suit fit him perfectly, his handsome smile was radiant. Rey was transported back to her brief experience with him……when he met her at the Red Kyber bar. When he came to Leia’a office to offer to make her dinner. 

Their unforgettable night together.   
  
“I'd like to say, that even though _some_ of us can be difficult to reach, at times...” he smiled, “don’t assume that we don’t _want_ to be reached. I am so happy to work with Resistance Kitchen. I'm humbled to be part of their amazing outreach and support team. I thank them for having me." Kylo paused and his face grew more serious. 

" I remember the first time I worked in a kitchen," he began. "It changed my life."

At the end of Kylo's speech, everyone continued with their partying, except for Rey. Her eyes were fixated on Kylo, standing in a corner, speaking with one of the presenters. All she could think about was how unfair she had been to him. She moved toward him slowly.

  
Kylo’s mouth quirked up when he saw her.

  
“Hi there,” he said coolly.

  
“Hi.”

  
“You didn’t call, so I assumed you didn’t want to continue,” he shrugged, tossing a smile to another presenter who was passing by.

  
Rey’s gaze did not waver. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I realized you were right. It wasn’t fair of me…..to make assumptions. I do want to get to know you better.”

  
Kylo’s face softened. “I know I can be pretty intense, but I promise I will not screw around on you. I want to _know_ you, Rey. I think we could really have something here, if you'd give it a shot."

  
Rey cocked her eyebrow and smiled. “I’m ready,” she said. "Show me."

Kylo smiled. "You're a little tipsy, Miss Niima. Maybe we should call you a cab," he said, eyes darkening. 

Rey thought about it for a moment, then took a deep breath. "No," she said. 

"No?"

"No. I think I'd rather you take me home, if that's not too much trouble."

He smiled. "Anything for you, Rey. But I need a kiss first."  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think there may well be an epilogue to this story, but for now, this is where we end. I hope you enjoyed. Come give me a shout out on twitter @flavorofkylo.


	7. Epilogue- After dinner mints

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's your sweet, fluffy happy ending. :) Because we all need some fluff, right about now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place precisely ten months after the night that she confronted him at the Red Kyber bar.

A light rain had just begun to fall as Rey rounded the corner just before Salt of the Earth. Miffed that she had forgotten her umbrella, she hurried her steps as best she could in her high heels, until she reached the restaurant entrance. With a sigh of relief, she yanked the heavy door open and strode up to the reservation desk. The hostess, Jannah, smiled warmly.

“Nice to see you again,” she said. “Will you be dining alone tonight?”

“No, the reservation is under Kylo Ren.”

Jannah’s eyebrows went up in surprise. She looked at the computer screen and found it.

“Yes, okay--table for two. I’m afraid Mr. Ren is not here yet, but if you’d like to have a drink by the bar….?”

Rey smiled. “Yes, thank you, I will.”

She made a quick stop in the Ladies’ Room to check her hair and was thankful that the rain hadn’t done too much damage. She applied a fresh coat of lip-gloss and smoothed down her dress with a satisfied hum. It was the infamous blue dress, probably the most revealing one she had. Kylo had never seen her in it, but she figured it was time he did.

Rey took a seat at the bar and ordered herself a glass of Sancerre. Her eyes perused the familiar room slowly. it had been a few months since she had come to Salt of the Earth; the last time was to do a review for _Food of Love_. Although she and Kylo had been out to eat many times since they started dating, they had never come here. She knew that it was probably because of the lingering tension between him and Luke, so she never pressed the matter. When he told her to meet him at Salt for their date tonight, she was both pleased and more than a little surprised, but she didn’t ask any questions.

She sipped her wine slowly and looked down at her phone. Kylo had sent her a text twenty minutes earlier, saying he was on his way; how did she miss it? She settled into her seat and scrolled through her emails.

A few moments later, she felt the weight of a large hand on her hip and she looked up.

“Hi kitten,” he rumbled. Even after eight months, the sound of his voice still made her feel things, deep in her belly. “Sorry to keep you waiting.” He leaned down to brush his lips against hers.

Rey dimpled at him. “It’s fine.”

“Give me another minute, I need to run into the kitchen for a sec,” he said. “Our table is ready, so I’ll have them seat you, okay?”

She nodded.

Shortly after, she was seated and waiting for Kylo. She thought it a bit odd that he would choose to visit the kitchen, unless he felt the need to make peace with Luke? Even if that were the case, it did seem like a weird time and place to try to settle old grievances. She shrugged and looked over the menu.

Kylo returned and sat across from her, a devious little smile on his lips. She’d come to recognize that smile.

“What are you up to?” she asked, crinkling her nose at him.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, kitten,” widening his eyes in a gesture of mock innocence.

“Oh, please,” she chuckled. “I know you by now, Kylo. I know that look.”

He stared at her intently and nodded. “You do, don’t you? You know me.”

As the waiter passed by, Kylo signaled him over. “Macallan’s, please, rocks. Rey, do you want another?”

She nodded, and when the waiter was gone, he turned his full attention back to her.

“I need to tell you something, Rey.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Okay. I hope it’s nothing…..bad?"

“No, I wouldn’t say it’s bad, it’s just something you should know. We’ve been together for eight months now, it’s time.”

She sat back in her chair and waited. “Okay.”

“Kylo is not my real name. My real name's Ben. Ben Solo."

She closed her eyes for a moment in stunned silence.

“Ben? Why-why didn’t you tell me this before?

“Give me a chance to explain. When I was sixteen, I went through a rough patch. My parents got divorced, I hated school, and I never felt like I fit in. I got involved with a gang, stealing cars, and….other things.” He cleared his throat. “I was in juvie for about six months.”

“I remember, you talked about it during your speech at the dinner.”

“Yes. It was after that my mother sent me off to live with Luke and train with him. And as much as I loved being in the kitchen and learning, my….attitude started to flare up eventually.” He cocked an eyebrow at her. “We were practically at each other's throats, by the end. I don't respond well to authority."

Rey chuckled. She already knew this about him.

“Anyway, by the time I was twenty-two, I was done with working in Luke’s kitchen. I wanted to create my own thing, to start over, so that’s why I changed my name to Kylo Ren. I didn’t want my past to follow me.”

She nodded. The one time she had asked him why his last name was different from his mother’s he had more or less brushed the question off.

“I didn’t tell you this before, but I figured it was time.”

“So should I call you Ben?”

“It’s up to you,” he said. “I know you’re used to Kylo, so that’s fine. But if you want to call me Ben, maybe….when we’re _alone_ …”

The heat of his gaze told her exactly what he meant. A silent conversation passed between them and he gave her a little smile in recognition that she understood.

“I just thought you should know,” he said softly. “Thought it was time.”

Rey placed her hand over his and squeezed. “I’m glad you finally told me.”

The waiter brought their drinks and asked if they were ready to order. Ben flashed his most charming smile.

“Afraid we’re going to need a few minutes more,” he said.

++

They were midway through their meal when a familiar face arrived at their tableside.

“Rey, how’s the pasta?” Luke smiled, arms crossed at his chest. He looked rather dashing in his dark grey uniform.

“Luke! How great to see you,” she gushed, and he leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Everything's wonderful."

Luke and Ben exchanged glances. “Ben tells me that things are going very well with you two, yes? He’s treating you right?”

Rey bit her lip and glanced at Ben. “Oh, yes. He’s _very_ good to me.”

Ben’s face flushed with pride.

“Good,” Luke responded measuredly. “Make sure it stays that way. Otherwise, you just give me a call and I’ll straighten him out. Okay?” He gave her a little wink.  
Rey chuckled and Ben shook his head.

At the end of the meal, Ben said, “I took the liberty of ordering dessert for us beforehand.”

Rey nodded. It was fine with her; she was used to him doing things like this by now, and he always chose well.

The waiter brought their coffees, espresso for Ben and a Cappuccino for Rey.

“I’m so glad to see you and Luke mending fences,” she smiled.

He raised his eyebrows. “We’re getting there. And you know what, it’s at least partly because of you. You’ve definitely made me want to change some things in my life.”

  
Rey felt a rush of warmth in her chest.

  
Just then, the waiter returned with the dessert tray, and set down a chocolate pot du crème in front of each of them; Rey’s had whipped cream on top. She looked over at Ben and grinned; he knew how much she loved chocolate.

“My favorite,” she breathed.

Ben flashed her a sweet smirk. “Eat it slowly."  
.  
He watched her carefully as she dipped her spoon into the ramekin for her first taste. A look of sheer bliss crossed her face, and Ben sighed.

“There’s something very sexy about watching you eat,” he confided, and she giggled.

She noticed he had barely touched his. “Why aren’t you eating yours?” she frowned.

“I will.”

  
“Well, you better, you’re missing out,” she warned. As she sank her spoon back into the crème, it hit something inside—something hard, something _metallic._ Rey licked a drop of chocolate off her lower lip and dug in a little deeper to investigate—she scooped out the foreign object. It was a ring.

Her eyes went wide, her mouth dropping open in shock. _“Ben….?”_

He held out his napkin and helped her wipe off the chocolate. The ring was exquisite, a platinum band with a square diamond and two smaller ones on either side. She didn’t know much about gems, but she could tell that the quality was impressive.

“You really…you really _did it,_ huh?”

He nodded slowly and reached for her hand. “Rey…you’ve made my life better in every way,” he said. “I love you, and I promise I’ll do my very best to make you happy, if you’ll have me.”

  
She could barely contain her joy and threw her arms around his neck, battering his face with kisses. Their lips met and she kissed him passionately.

“You’ve made me very happy already,” she said.

He slid the ring onto her finger, and she marveled at it, the way it flashed like fire as she held it up to the light.

“Soon, you’ll be Mrs. Solo,” he whispered.

“I love it, it's perfect. And I love you, Ben.”

He smiled. “I know.”

Fin.


End file.
